Deep in the Weeds - A Food Podcast with Anthony Huckstep

Having a greater connection with the land, the environment and our impact on it has always been a driving force behind the culinary career of Jo Barrett. But education, learning and sharing knowledge have been part of the foundation to let her explore what’s possible. With more time on her hands thanks to the pandemic, Jo Barrett (Future Food Systems) delved into the world of publishing to create...

The Sydney Rock Oyster is a special and rare shellfish. There are oyster farmers and then there is Gary Rodely, oyster innovator, oyster lover, oyster whisperer https://www.tathraoysters.com.au

After winding down one of her restaurants in LA, Bonnie Shearston’s (Happy Fat Group, Brisbane) visa ran out just as the pandemic landed. With no way of getting to Australia, she headed to the United Kingdom where a heavy lockdown meant a long wait to get home. With her Australian restaurants headed into lockdown in Brisbane, Bonnie was left reeling with no way of helping her business partner thro...

After becoming a father in 2019 Joey Ingram (Margan) and his partner decided it was time to make a tree change and settle down in the country. After spending every available weekend on their family’s property in the Hunter region, he pursued an opportunity with Lisa and Andrew Margan and they welcomed him with open arms. But as bushfires ravaged the region he wondered what he’d done putting his fa...

After forging her career in Michelin starred restaurants in the United Kingdom, Lizzie Fiducia (MessySpoon) joined the Jamie Oliver Group and helped launch restaurants and train brigades all over Australia. But she couldn’t ignore the negative impact the lifestyle had on her own mental and physical wellbeing. Realising the poor diets and eating habits of many in the industry she set about creating...

While working as an apprentice at Melbourne's famous Stokehouse Restaurant Tom Sarafian discovered Greg Malouf's cookbooks and was thrilled to see the traditional cuisine of his Armenian-Egyptian grandparents being presented with such modern finesse. It inspired him to work for Malouf in Australia and the UK, and pursuing his passion for middle eastern cooking leading him back to Australia where h...

Louis Tikaram (Stanley, Brisbane) grew up in the NSW country town of Mullumbimby. When he turned 18 he took a chance on gut instinct and it set him on a culinary path he’d never imagined. The Crackling is a Deep in the Weeds production in partnership with PorkStar, that dispels the myths, discovers, shares and celebrates the stories of Australia’s best chefs and pork producers. https://www.instagr...

Inspired by her Maltese heritage, Clare Falzon (Hentley Farm) knew she wanted to be a chef at a very young age. She set of the UK and Europe to immerse herself in some of the world’s best kitchens, but it wasn’t until she returned to Australia and worked under Jacqui Challinor at Nomad that she discovered a great connection with producers. Now, after building those foundations she’s the executive...

After rising the ranks and becoming part owner of one of Adelaide’s best restaurants, Nikki Friedli (Templo, Hobart) was honoured with the Australian Service Award in the Good Food Guide. Even though she was considered to be at the pinnacle of her craft, the long hours and complete dedication to her venue was taking a toll on her mental health. Realising she needed help, she stepped aside, took ti...

After growing up in a family that produced, foraged or caught their food from the land and sea, Ben Shewry (Attica, Melbourne) began a deep connection with food, culture and its importance in our lives. It created the foundation to go on and build his own restaurant that would receive world acclaim, but lockdown after lockdown in Melbourne made him rethink the energy it took to create the unique e...

After spending his early career in corporate sales and being part of a dot com start up, Anthony Iacono (Bertoni, Balmain) felt a yearning for change, and together with his brother Albert rolled the dice on creating their own café. Inspired by his Italian heritage and his parents love of food and coffee they soon became the hub of the community, noticed a gap in the market and quickly grew to 8 st...

Having been accepted into the Culinary Institute of America Israeli-born Roy Ner (Jeru, London) had to wait 9 months for a visa. Keen to get his cooking career kick-started he changed tact and headed to Australia where he trained and scored a gig at Aria with Matt Moran. It lead to a suite of roles, including creating the opening menu for Nour where he took Middle Eastern cuisine to new heights in...

After joining the Rockpool Group as a young chef Daniel Masters (The Standard Hotel, Bangkok) learnt early about the importance of not only great produce, but the connections and friendships fostered with producers. Although he built up his career to run one of WA’s most successful restaurants, he yearned for a new challenge and when the opportunity to cook in Bangkok presented itself he couldn't...

Growing up in the family restaurant in far North Queensland Buddha Lo (Huso, Marky’s Caviar) was inspired by his father’s work ethic and ability to find balance, harmony and big flavours in simple combinations. It started him on a path that’s lead to time in some of the best restaurants in Melbourne, London and all the way to New York where he joined the brigade of the world’s number 1 restaurant....

Growing up in a small town in a family of 12 children Damian Brabender (Otis Dining Hall, The Truffle Farm) learnt at a young age that if you do the cooking, someone else does the dishes. He soon fell in love with food, but wasn’t taking his career seriously until his brother drowned in a tragic accident on the very day on the day he qualified as a chef. With his world turned upside down he packed...

After growing up on the family farm in regional Victoria, Jo Youl (On Island Time, Flinders Island) developed a great connection with the land, animals and produce. That connection inspired her to move to Flinders Island with her young family where together with her husband, they run a cattle farm, run luxury accommodation and restaurant where they dish up food celebrating the unique produce of th...

Leaving Hobart early on in his career, Simon Fenwick (Monsieur Pierre, Kyneton, Victoria) set his sights on England where time in some of the country’s best kitchens that changed the way he saw his profession. After decades in some of the best restaurants home and abroad, he set the GPS to regional Victoria where he’s created a French-inspired eatery with a cult following. https://www.monsieurpier...

Exhausted, broken and tired of watching the hospitality industry suffer from ongoing lockdowns and restrictions with no clear end in sight, some of Australia's best creative minds have teamed up with hospitality's best-loved chefs and restaurateurs to plead with people to do the only thing that will save their industry- get vaccinated as soon as possible. Industry legend Guillaume Brahimi (Bistro...

After asking for a job washing dishes in his local Chinese restaurant at the age of 14 to earn pocket money Joel Bickford (Fort Denison, Shell House) got swept up in the energy of a commercial kitchen. It triggered a career running the food and beverage operations of some of Australia’s best hotels, and manning the pans of some of the most highly regarded restaurants in the land. As lockdown in Sy...

After starting her career as a aerodynamicist for formula 1 racing, Kate Reid (Lune) starting baking and exploring the exact science of croissants. She became obsessed with procuring the perfect croissant and it led her to use her skills and reverse engineer how they were made traditionally. Her commitment has created one of Australia’s best croissants, and a cult following to boot. https://www.lu...

After turning one of the country’s most awarded restaurants into a takeaway, finish at home operation Corey Costelloe (Rockpool Bar and Grill, Sydney) believes the time has come to do whatever it takes to get the hospitality industry back on its feet. Inspired by his overseas fellow hospitality workers in Europe and the US, he’s calling on the government to introduce a green pass for hospitality –...

Working in some of the best restaurants, under incredible mentors can give you the grounding to go on to great success as a chef. But, for some, delving into the world of professional butchery, as well as learning the cheffing trade, has given a greater understanding of the anatomy of an animal and the best ways to not only cook it, but use every little bit too. This is the building blocks that cr...

After growing up at the foot of one of Australia’s most influential hospitality professionals, Sam Gowing (Gowing's Food Health Wealth) cut her teeth in one of the family hotels. It triggered an award-winning career, but after the death of her father she started thinking about our connection with food and how it fuels our bodies. She left her fast-paced career as a hat-winning restaurateur to beco...

Growing up in Bogata, Colombia food was always at the centre of every family get together for Julian Velasquez (El Estanco) but he set out on a path to study Politics and International Relations at University. When he moved to England to improve his English he found part time work as a kitchen hand and it sparked a passion for hospitality he didn’t know he held. He eventually found his way to Aust...

After working as a line cook in her mother’s restaurant Lindsay Krahenbring (Darvella patisserie, Brisbane) got a taste for hospitality and headed straight to Sydney to gain as much experience as possible. She soon discovered a whole new world of creativity in the pastry section, and it led her on a journey through some of Sydney’s best restaurants, and all the way to running one of the hottest pa...